Catholic ethics perspectives on euthanasia and the discontinuation of aggressive treatment

• Authors: Głodowska, KB , Krawczyk-Wasielewska, A

Abstracts

EN

Defining euthanasia and aggressive treatment is of crucial importance from a researcher’s point of view as any problems concerning the ethical consideration of the two issues stem from their faulty or ambiguous definitions. The Decalogue, with its fifth commandment: "you shall not kill" is the foundation of the Catholic ethics. It prohibits any form of euthanasia as it infringes upon God's power and is an act of usurping God’s right to decide on life and death. The authors present an overview of numerous documents on the value of life by the Catholic Hierarchy to point to the sources of euthanasia prohibition among the followers of this faith and their consent to the use of aggressive treatment.

Keywords

EN

euthanasia; Catholic church; ethics; aggressive treatment

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku
• Journal: Progress in Health Sciences
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 1
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 153-160

Contributors

author

Głodowska, KB

author

Krawczyk-Wasielewska, A